Wrestle-Bash 2019: A Review

Wrestle-Bash 2019 was held in Nauvoo, Alabama on March 23rd, 2019. When we were invited to the event, I thought about the location. I knew where Nauvoo was on a map but I have never been there. Looking at Google, I saw that it was not far from Jasper, Alabama. Tracey and I were coming back from another event and made plans to be at this event.

Wrestle-Bash 2019 was the first event for Caleb Acker Promotions. I met Caleb that day and I can say that he is a true fan of the sport. Caleb not only arranged for Wrestle-Bash 2019 to have a great card that night but booked a Meet & Greet for the fans before the matches. That’s right, the fans got 2 hours to speak with, have their photo taken with and get autographs with the legends of the World of Professional Wrestling as well as the young lions of today.

Fans began filing into the Lupton Jr. High School at 4PM for the Meet & Greet. It was amazing to go from table to table and listening to fans tell their stories to the wrestlers. Fans were able to get their photo made with their favorite wrestlers. There were fans of all ages, male and female. Watching these fans interact with the performers was a sight to see. I even got into the photos, getting my photo made with Wildcat Wendall Cooley, Nature Boy Paul Lee and Ultimate Dragon as seen at the bottom of this story.

Below are photos from fanfest:

Sandra J. Hunt and Caleb Acker

The Lupton Jr. High School was almost filled to capacity. Before the matches started, I spoke to fans that had come from all over. At 7:30 PM, the magic started. The expectations were high, the fans were ready, so let the event begin:

Action Mike Jackson, the currently U.S. Jr. Heavyweight Champion, came to the ring. Mike had helped Caleb put together this huge event. Mike addressed the crowd and promised them a fun filled night of professional wrestling. Then he did something, I have never seen at a wrestling match before. Mike gave his testimony about his faith and saving Grace by Jesus Christ. He asked the crowd to join him in prayer. The whole gym stood, hats were taken off heads and heads bowed. It brought chills to witness this.

After the prayer, Mike introduced Sandra J. Hunt to everyone. Sandra came to the ring and took the microphone from Mike. She then belted out one of the most beautiful renditions of the National Anthem, I have ever heard. This lady can sing.

After Sandra finished, it was off to the matches……

The American Brawlers Vs. The Jungle Kings

This was a match of Brawn vs High Flying. The Jungle Kings are one of the hottest up and coming tag teams in the wrestling business. The American Brawlers are known for their high impact and hard, edgy style in the ring. Both teams hold Championship Belts from different Organizations. The winners of this match took all the belts. This match was a back and forth event, with each team trying to gain an advantage.

The Jungle Kings showed their high flying skills with moves that went from the top of the ring ropes to through the ring topes. They meshed as a tag team, delivering Splashes, quick tags and lightning moves to keep the American Brawlers off balance.

However, the Brawlers utilized their power and their experience as a tag team to combat the Jungle Kings. Both of the Brawlers pummeled the Kings, trying to earn the Kings’ Tag Team Belt. Neither team was able to get a decisive win before the time limit ran out. The Kings asked for 5 more minutes. The Brawlers felt that they had nothing else to prove and walked from the ring area.

Action Mike Jackson vs Antonio Garza

I remember watching Mike Jackson wrestle back in the 80s for Continental Championship Wrestling. I finally got to meet Mike back in January and conduct an interview with him. You can view the interview at this link:

Ultimate Dragon came to the ring to talk about the two competitors. He has faced both of them and has the utmost respect for them. Dragon has had some health issues recently and is unsure when or if he will be able to return to the ring. You could tell that Dragon was sad about this news. It would have been great to see Dragon against Jackson or Garza, one more time.

This match was going to be a “barnstormer”. I have seen Mike wrestle and as soon as the bell sounds, he is wide open. As stated above, Tracey and I had been to an event the previous night. At this event, we were introduced to Antonio Garza. Garza is from Mexico, where the Lucha Libre Wrestling Style is prevalent.

If you are not aware of Lucha Libre, let’s turn to Wikipedia for a short introduction:

“Lucha libre (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈlut͡ʃa ˈliβɾe], meaning “freestyle wrestling” or literally translated as “free fight”) is the term used in Mexico for professional wrestling. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form of the genre, characterized by colorful masks, rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers, as well as “high-flying” maneuvers, some of which have been adopted in the United States and elsewhere. The wearing of masks has developed special significance, and matches are sometimes contested in which the loser must permanently remove his mask, which is a wager with a high degree of weight attached. Tag team wrestling is especially prevalent in lucha libre, particularly matches with three-member teams, called trios.

Although the term today refers exclusively to professional wrestling, it was originally used in the same style as the American and English term “freestyle wrestling”, referring to an amateur wrestling style without the restrictions of Greco-Roman wrestling.

Lucha libre wrestlers are known as luchadores (singular luchador, meaning “wrestler”). They usually come from extended wrestling families who form their own stables. One such line integrated to the United States professional wrestling scene is Los Guerreros.”

While I have seen Lucha Libre Wrestling before on TV, I have never seen this in person. I must say if you haven’t seen it either, you have to see it. Garza is small in stature but big on talent. Tracey told me how impressed she was the previous night and I have to agree. Jackson and Garza had met several times before, trading the U.S. JR Championship Belt back and forth.

Both competitors did not let the fans down. Jackson and Garza went hold for hold, so evenly matched, like no other wrestling match I have ever seen. It was exhausting trying to photography these two warriors. Sadly, outside interference from Shane Noles, caused this great match to be stopped.

Johnny Swinger & Bullet Bob Armstrong vs Outlaw Justice

Outlaw Justice is one of the toughest and meanest Tag Teams in the profession today. They remind me a lot of Outlaw Ron Bass and Black Bart, who rose to fame as a tag team in the mid 80s in the Jim Crockett Promotions area. They have the weight and the attitude to take care of most competitors. However, they may have met their match on this night.

Johnny Swinger has vast experience from his time in the WWE, TNA and ECW. Swinger is accomplished not only as a tag team member but as singles wrestler. He has won several titles in each area that he has competed in. Johnny’s partner on this night is a legend himself.

Mr. Ba-Ba-Bad to the Bone himself. A WWE Hall of Famer. The Bullet. Holder of countless single and tag team championships. Who are we talking about? Bullet Bob Armstrong. Armstrong has competed virtually all over the world. His sons have followed in his footsteps, competing throughout the United States and abroad. The Bullet teamed with the young lion, Johnny Swinger to face the formable team of Outlaw Justice.

If you have never seen Bob Armstrong make an entrance, let me try to tell you what to expect. Basically it is like turning the radio all the way up and then ripping the knob off. The Lupton Jr. High School holds 300 people and there were 269 present. These 269 people came unglued. Armstrong will be 80 years old on October 3rd of this year, but he can still bring a crowd to its feet.

Before the match started, one of the outlaws tried to sneak up on Armstrong. Armstrong was ready and drew back to deliver one of his devastating chops. The outlaw backed off. The bell rang and the match started. Armstrong and Swinger delivered arms bars, blows and fast moves on the outlaws. The Outlaws retaliated with their brute strength. At the end, it was the experience of Armstrong and the fierce determination of Swinger that prevailed.

Nature Boy Paul Lee vs Shane Noles

As reported above, Shane Noles had already made his presence know in the show. His interference in the Mike Jackson/Antonio Garza match, forced that match to be stopped. Noles has had previous run-ins with Jackson over the years, after Noles turned his back on Jackson. However, in this match, Noles was not going to have an easy time with this opponent.

Noles opponent was none other than the Nature Boy Paul Lee. Paul Lee is quick to tell everyone that he is the “Real” Nature Boy. This was my first time seeing Paul Lee in live action. I have to tell you that Paul is an exceptional athlete.

At the beginning of the match, the fans began to boo Noles. Paul went to the top of the ring ropes and the fans cheered him. Noles then went to the top of the ring ropes and got another rounds of boos. To prove his point, Paul Lee put the referee on the top ring rope and the fans cheered him. Paul finally told Noles that “they just don’t like you.”

Paul took control of the match early on. Noles regained control after he attacking Lee’s leg. It appeared from ringside, that Noles delivered a low blow to Lee. Lee was able to fight back and applied his patented Figure 4 Leg Lock for the win. Noles lost the match and got a bloody nose also. Action Mike Jackson made his presence known at ringside in retaliation to Noles’ previous interference.

Bubba Cagle vs Too Fly Ty

Too Fly Ty came to ring and made the fans mad right off the bat. There was a young lady in a blue shirt at ringside that kept having words with Ty during the whole match. Ty is brash, arrogant and is known to do whatever it takes to win a match. Would he be able to overcome the local hero, Bubba Cagle?

Bubba Cagle came to the ring and made his way around the ring, shaking hands with the fans. Bubba is known for his upbeat charisma, lightning fast moves and his down-home charm. The match started and it wasn’t long before Ty began his underhanded tactics to try to rip this win from Bubba’s hands.

Bubba fought back against the young lion, Too Fly Ty. The action took place in and outside of the ring. Remember the lady in the blue shirt? Yep, every time the two combatants came to that side of the ring, she voiced her displeasure of Ty. Try as he might, Ty could not overcome the onslaught from Bubba Cagle. Bubba’s hand was raised in victory.

It was an awesome event. Caleb Acker really went above and beyond to hold this event. The fans left knowing that they got more than their money’s worth. I spoke with Caleb a few days later and he told me that he was working on his next event. I am sure that it will be a thrill a minute based on this event.

I want to share an incident that happened at the end of the show. At the end of the show Bubba Cagle was giving out free tickets to the kids for an upcoming show. Kids of all ages flocked to the ring to get the tickets. This little man kept getting pushed away by the other kids who were trying to get the free tickets.

Tracey saw this and walked over to the little man. He told her that he didn’t want a ticket; he just wanted to have his picture made with Bubba Cagle. She could tell that he was upset about this and noticed some tears.

Bubba Cagle and a young fan

She took his hand and walked him to the front of the crowd and told Bubba what happened. Bubba squatted down and took this photo with this young fan. I have to say major kudos to Bubba Cagle for taking time with this young fan.

We posted the above photo on Facebook and the info about what happened, sharing Bubba’s taking time with the fan. The young man’s Dad contacted Tracey and I about the incident. He had seen the Facebook post. He was unaware of the incident. He thanked us for taking time to help his son. No thanks need. It’s the look on that little man’s face that makes it all worth wild.

Until next time, here is your monthly Quad Cities Daily Pro Wrestling review…..

Bobby Inman is retired from Law Enforcement after 21 years of Service. He has articles published in Law & Order Magazine, Police Marksman Magazine, Guns& Weapons for Law Enforcement Magazine as well as several published ebooks on Amazon, Kobo Writing, as well as Nook (Barnes & Noble). He is owner of Poopiedog, an Animal Rescue Dachshund, who is his constant companion, as well as Snort-Snort, a Chihuahua. . He is married to Tracey Inman. Bobby and Tracey are photographers for Subtle & Slams Photography that specializes in Professional Wrestling Events. He is a Senior Investigative Reporter for the Quad Cities Daily.